Thread holder for magazines



y 1945 H. A. WHITIN 2 -3 75J56 THREAD HOLDER FOR MAGAZINES Filed March4, 194. 1

PI 5 :L I w E Patented May 1, 1945 UN HT orric THREAD HOLDER FORMAGAZINES Application March 4, 1944, Serial No. 525,069

16 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in thread holders for weftreplenishing looms and it is the general object of the invention toprovide a thread holder capable of handling heavy yarns.

In multi-stack weft replenishing looms the reserve bobbins are arrangedin several stacks with their weft ends held'above the reciprocating layby a thread holder which assists in threading a newly replenishedshuttle. A form of thread holder which has gone into extensive useemploys a pair of geared thread engaging members which are actuated by amotor operating due to loom vibration. When a thread holder of this typeis used with bobbins having coarse weft the vibration motor is notalways able to turn the gears, especially when the magazine is full ofbobbins and the weft ends form a large bundle. It is an important objectof my present invention to provide electromagnetic drive means for thegears operating in such manner as to cause turning of the gears eventhough a large volume of threads is located between them.

Due to loom vibration the bobbins in the several stacks are likely toturn on their axes and slacken their Weft ends, and the amount ofslackening is more or less proportional to the amount of vibration. Itis another object of my present invention to control the circuit of theelectromagnetic gear drive by a switch which is closed by a partresponding to loom vibration. In this way the electromagnetic driveturns the gears at a rate substantially proportional to loom vibration,and when there is considerable slackening of the weft ends due tovibration there will be a corresponding increase in the operation of thegear driving mechanism.

The thread holder and its gears are mounted on an arm extendingoutwardly from the mesazine and subject to vibration with the loom. Ihave found that a second member or auxiliary vibrator having a vibrationdiiferent from that of the holder can be used to close an electricswitch. The vibration force will be large enough to close the switch andthus control an electromagnetic device which can exert a larger forcesufficient to turn the gears.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawing wherein a convenient embodiment of myinvention is set forth,

Fig.1 is a front elevation of a portion of a loom indicating thelocation of my improved thread holder,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan View of the thread holder looking in thedirection of arrow 2, Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation looking in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the supporting arm, thread holder andauxiliary vibrator looking in the direction of arrow 4, Fig. 1, on anenlarged scale,

Fig. 5 is a view on an enlarged scale of the lower part of Fig. 4 withthe cover plate removed and disclosing the operating mechanism Withintheholder, and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on line 66, Fig. 5.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, I have shown a loom frame l0 havingpicking mechanism l I for actuating a shuttle S on the lay L. A magazineM preferably of the multi-stack type is. secured to the loom frame andhas arranged therein bobbins B which are transferred one by one and inwell-known manner into the shuttle S. Weft ends, designated generally atW, extend from the bobbins B outwardly from the magazine to a threadholder H. This thread holder is mounted on an arm l2 secured in anyapproved manner to some part of the magazine, such as the tie rod l3.

The holder H includes in its construction a box-like structure I5 havinga vertical sid wall it, a bottom horizontal wall I! and vertical rightand left side Walls I8 and 19, respectively, as viewed in Fig. 5. Astationary shaft, 20 is rotatably. mounted in a bearing 2| fixed withrespect to wall Hi. This shaft extends into the box i5 and has securedthereto a ratchet wheel 22. The outer end of the shaft extends beyondwall it and has secured thereto a gear 23 the teeth 24 of which aresmooth for engagement with the weft ends.

A stud 30, see Fig. 5, fixed to the vertical wall it has mounted thereona link 3| in the upper end of which is rotatably mounted a second shaft32 to which is secured a second thread engaging gear 33 having teeth 34similar to the teeth 24. .The bearing 34 of shaft 32 extends throughwall It and is capable of lateral movement toward and from bearing 2|.

A rod 35 mounted for rotation in the upper end of the box I5 has a thumbscrew 36 on one end thereof and has the other end thereof screw threadedas at 31 to receive screw threaded hub 33 of an adjusting arm 39.Located between the lower end of arm 39 and link 3| is a spring 40 theeffect of which is to move gear 33 toward gear 23. The spring. however,permits a variation in the distance between the two gears 23 and 33 toaccommodate the size of the bundle of weft ends W between them. Byturning the thumb screw 35 the arm 39 can be caused to approach orrecede from thelink 3i either to increase or decrease the force exertedby the spring 40. The box is closed by a cover 45 shown in Fig. 4 butremoved in Figs. and 6. A fiat plate 45 made of sheet spring materialbetween wall It and the gears acts as a brake for the latter, andopenings 41 and 48 in wall it and plate 46, respectively, 'permittheaforesaid lateral movement of bearing 34. A guard G projects from wallit over the gears 23 and 33 to keep the threads W spaced from the innerends of the gears.

The matter thus far described may be similar to corresponding partsfound in certain prior patents to Payne, such as No. 1,842,731, and alsofound, in my .co pending application Serial No. 518,702, filed January18, 1944.

In carrying my present invention into effect, I provide improved meansfor driving the ratchet wheel 22. The driving mechanism includes an arm56 rockably mounted on the pin 5| carried by wall l6 and carrying a.resilient feed pawl 52 positioned for engagement with the teeth of theratchet Wheel 22. Arm 50 has an iron armature 55 and may be connected toa light spring 56 the efiect of which is to keep the arm 56 against afixed stop.5'l on wall It, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. I

An electromagnet 68 is secured as at Gil to the wall It and is placednear the armature 55 for attraction thereof. A switch .6! is secured asat 62 to the outside of the box 15, in the present instance beingsecured to wall i9, as

. shown in Fig. 5. This switch is one of the wellknown so-calledmicroswitches and is normally open. A plunger 63 operates when-depressedto close the switch. These switches are customarily furnished with twoleadwires 6t and 65, re-

spectively.

An auxiliary arm or vibrator lllis held to arm 52- as at H and has afree end which vibrates during loom operation toward and away from theplunger 63. A dampener 72, shown in Fig. 4 only, may be heldin theproper adjusted position along armlii: to regulate the amount and periodof vibration of thelatter. II find under certain conditions that thedampener i2 is not necessary, but it is a convenient means for insuringthe necessary diiierential vibration betweenarms l2 and l8.

In operation, arm 12 and vibrator Til will vibrate differently, eitheras to degree or rate, or both, with the result that the free end of,vibrator ill will have a movement with respect to the plunger 63 of theswitch 3!. As vibrator 10.05- cillates it will depress plunger 63 fromtimeto time to close switch 6i, whereupon the following. circuit,indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 5, will be closed: sourcemof electricpower E, wire 80, through the electromagnetiifl, wire 8i, switch leadwire 65, the switch, (which is tem-. porarily closed due to depressionof plunger 63 by vibrator Til), switch lead Wire 64, and wire 82 back tothe source E. Closure of this circuit energizes the electromagnet andthe latter attracts the armature 55,: thereby moving the pawl 52 to theright as viewed in Fig. 5 to give the ratchet wheel 22 and therefore thegear 23 a partial rotation. Rotation of gear 23 is communicated throughthe weft threads W to the gear 33 so that both of the thread engaginggears are caused to turn when the electromagnet Gil is energized. Duringm operation the vibrator 10 will have intermittent and momentary contactwith the plunger 63, and each energization of the electromagnet will befor a brief interval only, after which movement of the vibrator awayfrom the plunger due to spring 58 will break the previously tracedcircuit and the arm 50 will move back to the position shown in Fig. 5.On this return movement the pawl 52 will engage the next tooth of theratchet wheel 22 in readiness for the next closure of switch 5i. Thisoperation goeson more or less regularly so long as the loom operates.

It will be obvious that the greater the vibra tion of the loom thegreater will be the effect of the electromagnet to turn the gears 22 and23. The vibrator 16 is made preferably of a sheet material which isresilient and vibrates readily when the loom is in operation. When theloom stops the vibrator 18 comes to rest spaced from plunger 83 and theswitch M will remain open. I have found in practice that the vibrator 10tends to vibrate more rapidly than does the box R5. The electromagnet i8is not necessarily energized V for the sam length of time at eachdepression of plunger 63. The period in which switch 6! is closed willvary, depending upon the momentary relation of vibrator it and plunger53. It may in fact happen that at times the switch 6| will be closed forsuch a brief time that electromagnet Bil mayfail to respond, but therewill be other times when the switch will be closed long enough to permitadequate operation of the pawl 52. During an extended period of loomoperation the switch will be closed a large number of times and forsuflicient duration to give pawl 52 intermittent feeding strokes, andgears 23 and 33 will turn enough to keep the weft endstaut.

Fig. 2 shows the diiferent relations which can exist between the weftends and the thread gears. The weaver may place one group of threadsindicated at W near the guard G whichoverhangs the inner ends of thegears and place another group W2 at a greater distance from the guard inan attempt to prevent too large a group of threads from collecting atone place between the gears. The operation of the gears is such, ho.ever, that the groupWZ will eventually moveto the dotted line positionsshown in Fig. 2. This tendency of all of the, warp threads to collect ina small area accounts in part at least for the failure of previousthread holders, but does not prevent operation of my thread holder,since the electromagnet is sufiiciently strong to turn the gears eventhough all of the threads be located close to the guard G.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided simple means foractuating the thread engaging gears of a weft replenishing loom threadholder wherein an electromagnet actuates the feed pawl for the ratchetwheel connected to one of the thread gears. It will also be seen thatthe nonmally open circuit is closed intermittently due to a differencein vibration between two parts. This diiference of vibration is utilizedto close the switch 6! with resultant energization of the electromagnetso. Furthermore, a degree of vibration which of itself would beinsuificient' to cause operation of the thread gears can, however, beutilized to control a stronger force which is adequate for properoperation of the holder.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes andmodifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art withoutdepart.- ing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention and I do not wishto be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a thread holder having geare members for the weft ends of a weftreplenishing loom, electromagnetic drive means effective when energizedto operate the geared members, electric circuit means effective whenclosed to energize said drive means, and means operative due to loomvibration to close said electric circuit means.

2. In a thread holder having geared members for the weft ends of a Weltreplenishing loom, electromagnetic drive means effective when energizedto operate the geared members, a normally open electric switch, electriccircuit means including said switch and drive means effective to actuatethe latter when the-switch is closed,

and means operative due to loom vibration to close said switch.

3. In a thread holder having geared members for the Weft ends of a weftreplenishing loom, electromagnetic drive means effective when energizedto operate the geared members, electric the members and operated by theelectromagnet when the latter is energized, an electric switch mountedon the holder, electric means effective when the switch is closedtoenergize the electromagnet, and means operative due to loom vibration toclos said switch.

5. In a thread holder having geared members for the weft ends of a weftreplenishing loom, an electromagnet supported by the holder, a pawl andratchet mechanism operatively connected to the members and operated bythe electromagnet when the latter is energized, an electric switchmounted on the holder, electric means effective when the switch isclosed to energize the electromagnet, and means dependent upon loomvibration to close said switch intermittently.

6. In a thread holder having geared members for the weft ends of a weftreplenishing loom, electromagnetic means effective when energized tooperate the members, an electric switch electrically connected to saidelectromagnetic means, electric means effective when the switch isclosed to energize said electromagnetic means, and means dependent uponloom vibration to close said switch intermittently.

7. In a thread holder having geared members for the weft ends of a weftreplenishing loom, electromagnetic drive means effective when entooperate the geared members, two members which during loom operationvibrate differently, one of said members supporting said thread engaginggears, electromagnetically operated actuator means for said gears onsaid one member, an electric switch onone of said members opening andclosing during loom operation due to vibration of said members, andelectric means controlled by said switch to operate saidelectromagnetically operated actuator means.

10. In a thread holder having geared members for the weft ends of a Weftreplenishing loom, electromagnetic drive means effective when energizedto operate the geared members, two members which during loom operationvibrate differently, one of said members supporting said thread engaginggears, an electromagnetic actuator on one of said members for saidgears, a normally open electric switch on one of said members closedintermittently by the other member due to the difference in vibration ofsaid members, and electric means causing energization of said actuatorto effect operation of said gears'when the switch is closed.

11. In a thread holder having geared members forthe weft ends of a weftreplenishing loom, electromagnetic drive means effective when energizedto operate the geared members, two members which during loom operationvibrate difergized to operate the geared members, electric ferently, oneof said members supporting said thread engaging gears, anelectromagnetic actuator for said gears on said one member, a normallyopen electric switch on said one member positioned for intermittentclosing by the other member due to the difference in vibration of saidmembers, and electric means causing energization of said actuator toeffect operation of said gears when said switch is closed.

12. In a thread holder unit having geared weft engaging members for theweft ends of a weft replenishing loom, electromagnetic means supportedby the holder unit and effective when energized to operate said members,and electric control means controlling energization of saidelectromagnetic means and mounted on the unit for vibrational movementrelatively to the unit.

13. In a thread holder unit having geared weft engaging members for theweft ends of a weft replenishing loom, pawl and ratchet mechanism tooperate said geared members, electromagnetic operating means supportedby the holder and effective when energized to operate said pawl andratchet mechanism, electric switch means supported by the unit andcontrolling energization of said electromagnetic operating means, andmeans mounted on the unit for vibrational movement relatively to theunit and effective to close said switch.

14. In a thread holder having geared members for the weft ends of a weftreplenishing loom, a ratchet wheel operatively connected to said gearedmembers, an electro-magnetic device, an armature for saidelectro-magnetic device extending vertically and mounted for horizontalmovement toward and from said device, a pawl on said armature forcooperation with said ratchet wheel, means incident to loom operationvto energize said electro-magnetic device to cause the latter to attractsaid armature and cause said pawl to turn said ratchet wheel, and asupport for said geared members, ratchet wheel, armature, andelectro-magnetic device subject to horizontal vibration during loomoperation.

15. In a. thread holder having geared members for the weft ends of aweft replenishing loom, a

support for said geared members subject to vibration during loomoperation, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on said support andoperatively' connected to said geared members, an electro-magneticdevicemounted on said support, a vertically extending armature pivotallymounted on saidsupport and having a part thereof adjacent totheelectro-magneticdevice; a pawl on said armature for cooperation withsaid ratchet wheel,

and means incident to loom operation to energize'saidelectro-magneticdevice, said armature tending due to vibration of thesupport to cause said pawl to turn the ratchet wheel independently ofattraction of said armature bythe electromagnetic device, the latterwhen energized attracting the armature to operate the pawl and "causethe latter to turn the ratchet wheel.

. 16,111 athread holder having geared members for the weft ends of aweft replenishing loom, a

' support subject to vibration during loom operation, a ratchet wheelrotatably mounted on the support and operatively connected to saidgeared members, an electro-magnetic device mounted on aid support, meansconstituting a pivot on the upper part of said support, an armaturemounted on said pivot and depending therefrom and hav-

